Despite its glitzy debut, pricey virtual reality technologies have yet to catch on with consumers. However, VR has found a niche in business training.
According to the Wall Street Journal, stores like Walmart will buy VR headsets for nearly all of its training centers in the next few days. Employees will learn how to handle real-life situations with customers by practicing in a VR-simulated world. For example, VR training helps employees learn how to scan store items and talk to dissatisfied customers. Other companies, like Oshkosh, are using VR training to teach employees how to use dangerous machinery without putting them in a risky atmosphere.
Even the NFL has started using VR to train both players and officials in public relations. The practice is geared toward refining the interview process, so that real-life interviews will be free from all biases. VR use is also spreading quickly in medicine. By mapping virtual models of the brain, doctors can plan neurosurgeries more effectively.